Separable fastener



y 1934- J. B. FREYSINGER 1,957,258

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed May 3, 1952 5 56 5a 57 W 2 g J John B. fiqysz'zzger Patented May 1, 1934 UETE STATES SEPARABLE FASTENER Application May 13, 1932, Serial No. 611,105

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to separable fasteners, and has for an object the provision of an improved device of this kind which may be conveniently used in connecting two members or parts of the same member together.

An aim of the invention is to provide a separable fastener of this character the guide or bar member of which is flexible in the direction of its length so that it may be used in connection with flexible articles since, due to its flexibility, the bar will accommodate itself to the shape assumed by the flexible article to which it is secured.

The device of the present invention may be used in connection with circular articles, such as leggings, wrist straps, et cetera.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple, strong, durable, and inexpensive fastening device which may be quickly and easily operated.

Other objects will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application or" which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown, for illustrative purposes, one embodiment which the present invention may take,

Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved fastening device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the catch or slide part with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the fastening device showing the position assumed thereby when attached to a circular article;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail View showing the connection between adjacent links of the bar member when the latter is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the links of the bar member;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view showing the connection between adjacent links of the bar member when the latter is in the curved position shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the catches.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, A designates generally a bar or guide member, and B designates generally a catch or slide part of the fastening device. The bar member A is made up of a plurality of links 10 which are pivotally joined together for limited relative movement and provide a track on which the catch part B is adapted to slide. As shown more clearly in Fig. 6, each of these links is substantially channel shaped and comprises base 11 which is provided, at each of its opposite ends, with an outwardly extending wall 12. The outer free end of; each of these walls 12 is provided with a tooth 13 which teeth, in the drawing, are shown as extending inwardly towards one another. However, these teeth 13 may extend outwardly in opposite directions from each other. The teeth 13 are spaced from, and are substantially parallel to, the base 11, and it will be noted that the forward leading edge of each tooth 13 is bevelled, as at 14, in order to facilitate the ratchet-like sliding movement of the catch or slide part B thereover in one direction, while the opposite rear end of each tooth is squared, as at 15, in order to cooperate with the catch part B to prevent the free sliding movement of the same in the opposite direction. It will be observed that the series of teeth at each side of the bar member constitutes a. flange, so to speak, and these flanges, together with the side walls of the bar member, form trackways. The base 11 of each link is provided at its forward edge with a knuckle 16 which is ofliset downwardly, as at 1'7, and extends forwardly, as at 18, and has a portion 19 rolled upon the portion 18. The base of each link, adjacent its rear edge, is provided with an elongated slot 20 which is adaptedto receive the knuckle of the following link so that each link is pivotally secured to the links adjacent thereto. The provision of the slot in the base 11 adjacent its rear edge forms an elongated strip 21 between the slot and the rear edge of the base 11, and the knuckleof the following link is adapted to embrace this strip 21 so that the knuckle of each link pivots about the strip 21 of the preceding link. From an inspection of Fig. 7, it is noted that the depth of the knuckle (that is, the distance between the inner faces of the portions 18 and 19 of the knuckle) is considerably less than the width of the strip 21 so that, when the bar member A assumes a curved position, the strip 21 of each link frictionally bears against the inner surface of the portions 18 and'le of its corresponding knuckle at two points, 22 and 23. The links 19 are, therefore, frictionally restricted in their pivotal movement in this direction, while the relative movement of the links in the opposite direction is restricted the links 10.

by the abutting of the adjacent edges of the walls 12 of each link.

The end links of the bar member A have respectively secured thereto attaching members 24 and 25 by means of which the bar member A is secured to the element with which the device is to be used. The attaching member 24- is substantially H-shaped, and is provided with a pair of oppositely and laterally extending arms 26 and a pair of oppositely and laterally extending fingers 27 between which are formed notches or recesses 28. The arms 26 are adapted to be threaded through an opening X in the element X to which the device is secured. The fingers 27 will prevent the attaching member from passing into the opening in the element X and will also prevent the element X from riding up on the bar member A. Disposed adjacent the outer edge of the attaching member 24 and between the arms 26 thereof, is an elongated opening 28' by which, if desired, the attaching member may be secured to the element X by means of stitches. The attaching member 24 is also provided with a knuckle 29 similar to the knuckle 16 of the links 10, and this knuckle 29 is adapted to be threaded through the slot 20 of the adjacent end link of the bar member A. The attaching member 25, which is secured to the opposite end link of the bar member A, is similar in all respects to, and the corresponding parts bear the same reference numerals as, the attaching member 24 described above except that this attaching member 25, instead of having a knuckle 29, is provided with a slot 30 similar to the slot 20 in This slot 30 is adapted to receive the knuckle 16 on the first link of the bar mem-. ber A.

The catch or slide part B has a face plate or slide member 31 the opposite ends of which are bent rearwardly to provide flanges 32which are spaced apart soas to more or less closely receive between them the bar member A, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1. Thus the catch part B is held against substantial lateral movement with respect to the bar member A. The opposite sides of the face plate 31 are bent rearwardly to provide webs 33 which are provided at their rear free edges and intermediate the ends thereof with tongues 34 adapted to enter suitable openings 35 in a connecting bridge 36. The opposite ends of the connecting bridge 36 are bent forwardly to provide walls 37 which are adapted to closely engage the webs 33. The forward free edge of each of these walls 37 is bent outwardly i to provide ears 38.

41. which is adapted to slide upon the inner face of A tongue 39 is punched from each of the ears 3 adjacent its wall 3'7 and is bent over to clinch the outer face of the plate 31. The apertures 40 provided in the ears 38 by punching the tongues 39 therefrom may be used to attach the catch part 13 to an element with which the device is used.

Disposed between the face plate 31 and the connecting bridge 36 is a pair of sliding catches Each catch 41 comprises a front wall 42 the face plate 31 and a rear wall 43 adapted to slide upon the inner face of the bridge 36. The walls 42 and 43 are joined by a connecting wall 44. The free end portion of the rear wall of each catch is bevelled, as at 45, to facilitate the placing of the catch part B upon the bar memher A at any point throughout the length thereof. Each catch is provided with a finger piece 46 which is received in a suitable opening in each of the flanges 32 of the face plate 31. It will be noted that the finger piece 46 of each catch is of less width than the front wall 42 of the catch so that shoulders 47 are provided on each side of the finger piece 46. These shoulders 47 are adapted to engage the inner face of the respective flanges 32 to limit the outward movement of the catches. The connecting wall 44 of each catch has a portion cut away, as at 48, and the free end portion 49 of the rear wall 43 of each catch is bent forwardly and at right angles to the front wall 42. Disposed between the sliding catches and adapted to normally urge them apart, is a spring 50 the head 51 of which is confined between the portions 49 of the walls 43 of the catches and the adjacent web 33 of the face plate 31, and the diverging legs 52 of the spring engage the inner faces of the connecting walls 44 of the catches to normally urge the catches apart. When the catch part B is in position upon the bar member A, the spring 50 will normally urge the catches apart so that .the portions 49 of the rear walls 43 of the catches will engage the square ends of adjacent teeth 13 on the bar member to prevent the movement of the catch part on the bar member in one direction.

In the use of the device, the bar member A may be applied to a flexible article capable of assuming a circular contour since the links 10 are pivotally joined together to permit a limited amount of relative movement therebetween, so that the bar member may accommodate itself to the shape of the article to which it is secured. When applied to an article having a circularcontour, the bar or guide member A will assume a position substantially similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 7. It will be noted that the amount of curvature of the bar member A is limited by the frictional engagement of the strips 21 with the inner faces of the knuckles 16. The amount of curvature permitted the bar member A may be varied by changing either the depth of the knuckles 16 or the width of the strips 21 or both.

Assuming that the bar or guide member A and the catch or slide part B have been properly secured to the elements desired to be fastened together, the user of the device positions the catch part B with the bevelled portions 45 of the catches 41 against the teeth 13 of the links 10. The catch part is then pushed rearwardly towards the bar member, whereupon, due to the bevelled portions 45, the catches 41 will be cammed towards one another and the rear walls 43 of the catches will ride past the teeth 13 and snap in behind them under the influence of the spring 50. The catch part B may then be slid upon the bar memher A until the desired position is reached and then the portions 49 of the catches 41 will engage the square ends of adjacent cooperating teeth 13 to hold the catch part B on the bar member A against movement in one direction. To remove the catch part from the bar member, the former may be slid along the bar member with a ratchetlike movement in the opposite direction until the catch part passes the last link, when it will be free of the bar member. This ratchet-like movement is due to the bevelled edges 14 of the teeth 13 engaging the portions 49 of the catches and camming the portions 49 past the teeth 13. The catch part may also be removed from the bar member by gripping the finger pieces 46 between the fingers and pressing the catches towards each other until the rear walls 43 are clear'of the teeth 13 at which time the catch part B' may be moved forwardly until it is free of the bar member A.

The rear walls 43 of the catches engage behind the teeth 13 and maintain the catch part in position on the bar member as the catch part is moved along the bar member regardless of the curvature of the latter.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Z claim as my invention:

1. In a separable fastener, a bar member having a pair of trackways each having a flange, one at least of said trackways being provided with a series of abutments, said bar member comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links whereby the bar member is flexible in the direction of its len th, and a slide part having a slide member adapted to slide longitudinally of the bar member, and spring pressed catches on the slide part and having portions adapted to engage behind said flanges, one at least of said catches having a tooth adapted to cooperate with said abutments to prevent sliding movement of said slide part in one direction but permitting of sliding movement in the opposite direction.

2. In a separable fastener, a bar member having a pair of flanges each provided with teeth, said bar member being composed of a plurality of pivotally connected members whereby said bar member is flexible in the direction of its length, a slide part having a slide member adapted to slide longitudinally on the bar member, and spring pressed catches on the slide part adapted to engage the flanges and cooperate with the teeth thereof.

3. In a separable fastener, a bar member having a pair of opposed flanges each provided with ratchet teeth, said bar member being composed of a plurality of pivotally connected links whereby the bar member is flexible in the direction of its length, and a slide part having a pair of catches adapted to respectively cooperate with said flanges.

4. In a separable fastener, a bar member comprising a plurality of links each link comprising a base portion, a wall extending from each of the opposite ends of the base portion, and a tooth extending from the free end of each wall and disposed parallel to the base portion, the teeth at the respective sides of the bar constituting longitudinally extending flanges, a slide part having a slide member adapted to slide longitudinally of said bar member, and spring pressed catches on the slide member adapted to engage behind the respective flanges and provided with teeth adapted to engage with the respective series of teeth.

5. In a separable fastener, a bar member comprising a plurality of links, each link consisting of a base plate, a wall extending from each of the opposite ends of said plate, a tooth extending from the free edge of each wall and disposed parallel to said plate, a knuckle extending from the forward edge of said plate, said plate having adjacent its rear edge a slot adapted to receive the knuckle of the following link, and a catch part adapted to cooperate with said bar member and selectively engage said teeth.

6. In a separable fastener, a bar member, a catch part cooperating with said bar member and having a rearwardly extending web and a pair of sliding catches, each catch being substantially U-shaped and having a front wall and a rear wall, the rear wall of each catch having a portion bent at substantially right angles to said rear wall, saidbent portion of each rear wall being spaced from and substantially parallel with said web, and a substantially T-shaped spring having its head confined between said web and the bent portions of said rear walls of the catches and its divergent legs disposed between and engaging said catches to normally urge the same apart into engagement with the bar member.

JOHN B. FREYSINGER. 

